The Last of Us season 2 won't be the hugely successful Max TV show's final entry as HBO officially announces its third season

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One of the industry's worst-kept secrets is no longer being kept under wraps

Dina and Joel on horseback looking worried in The Last of Us season 2
Surprising no-one, The Last of Us has been picked up for another season (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)
  • HBO has renewed The Last of Us for a third season
  • The popular series' second season doesn't premiere until this weekend (April 12-13)
  • Previously, HBO's Head of TV said it could run for four seasons

It's official: The Last of Us season 3 is in the works at HBO.

The hugely popular post-apocalyptic drama's second season hasn't even begun to air yet. But, such is the confidence within the halls of power at HBO, the US cable network has seen fit to renew The Last of Us TV show for another installment.

Frankly, the confirmation shouldn't come as a surprise. HBO's live-action adaptation of Naughty Dog's multi-award-winning game series namesake is not only one of the best Max shows around but also one of the most-watched HBO TV Originals of all time. And, with early reviews for The Last of Us season 2 largely praising it for yet another fantastic installment, it would've been a huge shock if the Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey-fronted program abruptly ended after two seasons.

That possibility was never really in the cards. Speaking in February, HBO's head of programming, drama, and film, Francesca Orsi, all but confirmed that The Last of Us would run for four seasons. The show's renewal, then, was always a case of when, not if.

"It can’t be overemphasized how proud HBO is for the outstanding achievement we believe the second season of The Last of Us is," Orsi said in a statement accompanying the season 3 renewal news. "[Co-showrunners] Craig [Mazin and] Neil [Druckmann], [producer] Carolyn [Strauss], and the entire executive producer team, cast, and crew have delivered a masterful follow-up and we’re thrilled to carry the power of Craig and Neil’s storytelling into what we know will be an equally moving and extraordinary third season."

Ellie raises a shotgun in a barn in The Last of Us season 2

Bella Ramsey will return as Ellie in season 3 (Image credit: HBO)

"We approached season 2 with the goal of creating something we could be proud of," Mazin also said. "The end results have exceeded even our most ambitious goals, thanks to our continued collaboration with HBO and the impeccable work of our unparalleled cast and crew. We look forward to continuing the story of The Last of Us with season 3!”

"To see The Last of Us brought to life so beautifully and faithfully has been a career highlight for me, and I am grateful for the fans' enthusiastic and overwhelming support," Druckmann added. "Much of that success is thanks to my partner in crime, Craig Mazin, our partnership with HBO, and our team at PlayStation Productions. On behalf of everyone at Naughty Dog, our cast, and crew, thank you so much for allowing us this opportunity. We're thrilled to bring you more of The Last of Us!”

The Last of Us season 2 premieres in the US on Sunday, April 13, and the UK and Australia on Monday, April 14. It'll be available to stream on Max in the US and Australia, as well as Sky Atlantic in the UK.

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Tom Power
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

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